The Internet of Things (IoT) may be described as a network of physical objects or “things” embedded with various types of electronics, software, sensors, logic, circuitry, etc., that can collect and exchange data. A “thing” (also referred to as an “IOT device” or a “machine-type communication (MTC) device”) may connect to a service hosted on the Internet indirectly (e.g., via another network device, such as a coordinator, a gateway, etc.) or directly.
For network service providers, IOT support involves providing network services to millions of IOT devices. The number of IOT devices is projected to grow exponentially in the years ahead. For network service providers, IOT support involves providing network services to support millions or even billions of IOT devices. Current network resource allocation and management systems are inadequate to meet these demands in an efficient manner.